The Styles of Tango

Many terms are used to describe different styles of tango, such as tango milonguero, tango apilado, tango Villa Urquiza, estilo del centro, estilo del barrio, tango de salon, the salon style, tango fantasia, and tango Nuevo, etc.

The origin of different dance styles lies in human psychology. People who are feeling-oriented tend to prioritize internal experiences. These dancers, of whom many are milongueros, developed the milonguero style of tango, also known as tango apilado. It is danced in a close embrace with a slightly leaning (apilado) position, intimate bodily contact, and simple steps to allow for a focus on feelings. This style is commonly seen at tango clubs in downtown Buenos Aires, where the floors are crowded, disabling fancy movements, hence its nickname "estilo del centro" or downtown style. The milonguero style features embrace and feelings.

On the other hand, dancers who are movement-oriented tend to prioritize intricate footwork. Such dancers, of whom many also are milongueros, developed the Villa Urquiza style of tango, also known as the salon style, which is danced in a loose embrace with an upright posture to facilitate fancy movements. Movement-oriented dancers like to dance at neighborhood clubs, such as Club Sin Rumbo in the neighborhood of Villa Urquiza, where the dance floors are open, hence the term estilo del barrio, or neighborhood style. The Villa Urquiza style features footwork and impression.

Milonguero style and Villa Urquiza style are commonly recognized as tango de salon, or social tango. Social tango is a loose term broad enough to include stylistic differences, and narrow enough to exclude anti-social behaviors. Social dancers may be feeling-oriented or movement-oriented, but they all dance at the clubs and abide by the milonga codes.

Social tango dominated the culture of Buenos Aires from mid-1930s to mid-1950s. This period is known as tango's Golden Age. Between 1940 and 1950, some 23 dancers, who were even more movement-oriented than their Villa Urquiza colleagues, met regularly at the Club Nelson to work on novel steps. The result is a new style known as tango fantasia. The names of these 23 dancers are listed in Robert Farris Thompson's book, Tango, the Art History of Love. Danced mainly in an open embrace, tango fantasia dramatized tango with fancy movements and showy figures, and separated itself from social tango by using choreography and not conforming to the milonga codes. The purpose of this style is to perform on stage; therefore, it is also known as stage tango, show tango, performance tango, and exhibition tango (see Social Tango and Performance Tango).

From 1955 to 1983 Argentina was ruled by military juntas whose policies discouraged social tango. Curfews were enforced and pedestrians were frequently stopped by the military police for interrogation. Many were arrested or simply disappeared for aligning with the previous pro-tango Peronist regime. As a result, people stopped dancing socially and tango went underground. The absence of social tango during this period gave tango fantasia an opportunity to take the stage. When the military rule ended in 1983, it was this style that led the revival of tango (see Tango: Historical and Cultural Impacts).

The renaissance was led by a group of stage performers who brought their show, Tango Argentino, to Paris and New York City in 1983 and 1984, where they ignited an enthusiasm for learning their style of tango. Seizing the business opportunity, these professional dancers began to teach tango fantasia to Europeans and Americans, thus spawned the tango Nuevo movement catered to the tastes of foreigners. Because tango Nuevo incorporated many non-tango elements such as exotic music and eccentric steps, it ceases to be tango as it was created for. For this reason, tango Nuevo is despised by the milongueros, who called it "tango para exportar" or tango for export. (See Three Theories on Leading.)